Are You Game?

My First Grand Prix

Belgium, Spa. Weather, clear and hot. Max was with his team, getting ready for the race. His sister, Victoria and his mother would be watching the race. They were walking in to the garage l as I was busy drawing Max and his teammate Riccardo. Just them laughing, it settled their mood as teammates. As I kept drawing, I didn't notice Max walking up to me.

"Sweets?" He kissed my cheek.
"Hey boo, you done with briefing?" I placed my sketchbook to the side.
"Yep." He smiled widely.
"You ready for the race?" I smiled at him, looking into his eyes to find the honest answer.
"Yes, am excited as hell." He hugged me. "My mom is here with my sister."
"Well, let me meet them." I kissed him gently.

He kissed back before breaking it and rest his head against mine.

"Okay but don't fuck this up." He murmured.
"Oh I'm the one who'll fuck it up?" I chuckled as he pulled me along.
"Mom, Vic!" Max dragged me behind him. "This is the girl I talked about, Alexis, my mom and sis. Vic and mom, Alexis."
"It's nice to meet you both." I shook his mother's hand.
"He has talked about you a lot." Victoria hugged me.
"Wish I could say likewise, but he didn't." I chuckled.
"He never does, must be ashamed of us." His mother joked, making me smile.
"Max, 5 minutes."

He nodded before giving his mother a quick kiss and his sister a hug.

"I'll see you after?" He pressed his nose against my neck.
"Always, come back in one piece and have fun." I grabbed his face gently between my hands. "Stay save."
"Always, babe." He left my side after giving me a quick peck.

A sigh left my lips, how long could we keep up this facade?

As soon as he turned the first corner, it went to shit, his car got squashed between a Ferrari and a barrier. I didn't really continue to watch the race. I saw is sister and mother gasp and follow the race tensed up.

I didn't walk up to him as he got out of his car. He was cursing under his breath as he walked past me. When he changed clothes for interviews, he didn't look at me. Victoria started at me as I simply shrugged it off and mouthed 'later'. She gave me a nod as I simply grabbed my backpack and threw my sketchbook and pencil case in it.

"Fuck them." He huffed as he passed me again.

His mother stared at him. Not sure what to say or do. So I grabbed him.

"What?!" He snapped making me knot my eyebrows in annoyance.
"Don't be an ass, your mom and sister are here, stop mopping like a jackass and enjoy their company."
"They have ruined my entire race!"
"Can we do this tonight?" I swung my backpack over my shoulder.
"I'll fake my happiness."
"You better drive with them, cause I'd kill your ass." I knotted my eyebrows again.
"Fuck you."
"Asshole." I grabbed the key out of my pocket. "Continue like this and I'll be going to Amsterdam."
"Do so."

With that, I turned around and said my goodbyes.

"Babe?" Max muttered as I was packing my suitcase. "Are you going to my mother's with me?"
"You told me to go, so I will." I closed the suitcase. "To Amsterdam."
"I didn't mean it." He mumbled.

I gave him the contract.

"My needs aren't met and I've waited for them to be." I looked him in the eyes. "You've been the worst since I've met yours. I'll be in your apartment till I found my own place."
"Alexis, don't. Please."
"I'll leave the car there."

I walked past him. His father looked up from his iPad as I came down the stairs.

"You got a new project?"
"No sir." I shook my head.
"Then why the suitcase?" He looked at me. "You're going to Sophie's?"
"No dad, she broke up with me." Max folded his arms.
"Well that's unfortunate, you're the only one that felt like a family member." He sighed.
"I'm sorry, sir. It's just, he takes and takes but can't give me anything, emotionally." I shrugged. "It's tiring from my side, but I'll see you around."
"I sure hope so."

The drive was long and silent, I hadn't turned the radio on. I wasn't sure if I would be able to stay in his apartment or keep on using his car. All I knew was that I needed my time.

Days passed, neither one of us contacted the other person. I saw him on the Dutch television every once in awhile. The clients I visited also talked about him. And I? I pretended not knowing anything about him, I pretended that I wasn't interested in anything he did. I pretended not caring about him. I disliked how single mothers talked about him, I hated how teen girls wanted him, glorified him. How they said that one day he'd be theirs.

The thing I hated the most was that the contract made me so close to him that I got my feelings involved.

'The little lies we tell, ourselves in itself.'

"With Alexis." I picked up my phone.
"Hey, it's me." Jos mumbled.
"Oh, hey Jos." I smiled into the phone. "How are you?"
"I'm good." I heard him sigh as an all to familiar voice was talking to someone else. "I need you here as soon as possible though."
"What's wrong?" I sipped in my now lukewarm coffee as a client stared at me.
"He picked some girl from the streets. And Kelly wants Blues room done and I'm trying not to blow up."
"I'll be there in the morning." I look at the woman in front of me.
"Thank you so much."
"See you then Jos."

I had finished my project, the woman was happy and I was knackered.